The Nicodemus enterprise., 1887-09-21

III tha amer lSAh1 POA PHI
VIII -, mo almost as favorite mode
1ss OecGln0 as with his English cousin.
d efc[t .be finest autumnal tramps this
one o. VI sffords is a walk up the gorge
ta1lI[ES i 49,. No tour afoot in the
dtle p slns Is more exhilarating. On
SF1ss I Al hand are the organ tones of
be on shnIept river; on the other, the
be Vt vweather-oeaten cliffs, shaggy
SER orest trees, and of appalling
|. ~ llaat !. and the cloud-embosomed form
be llSsaaa,.da's hero follows the retreating
: 9 lens as if, weary Of the vague
i09 1.;an ~ the higher atmosphere, he
Is,"ld fain keep cOmpanionship with
q Ts ~ whole series Of rock strata COM
~. M fbe sides Of the gorge is laid
o y N the perpendicular American
i saIt 7 Ike The layers of a well-regu-
ban \ ';aIly.cake. A study of this rocky
Ut " II tie course of walk from Lew
IN ~ "a Suspension-bridge not only
laws the varying thickness of the diff
1 0'at strata, but gives q clear idea of
II nature of the erOsive process by
Sicb according to recent surveys,
.rt;ons of the cataract recede at the
~ If three feet a year. Hard layers
I tbe Niagara and Clinton limestone
Ensrnate with the soft shales Of the
Psmes Beginning at Lewiston as a
Fsrrow strip, the upper stratum of
E;,cara limestone increases in thick
Eass to the falls. Here the mighty
|arce Of the cataract constantly washes
NAV the foundation Of soft shale on
rbich the limestone rests, and thus
mderp;ned, the hard upper rock
jreaks off.
The narrow road BY which pedes-
rians descend from Lewiston escarp-
nent pursues a winding, zigzag course,
!, passage broken by two secondary
graces. Along this steep precipice,
escribed by Charlevois and POuchot
/ their memoirs as though it were one
THE most difficult passes in the Alps,
ras visible, until recently, the remains
1 an old tramway, 1.-THE first railroad
\ America" In the days when Lew
,ton and her neighbors over the river
7ere fourishing trading posts, here
egan the portage around the falls.
It this point all the goods in process
transportation between the lakes
trans-shipment. The heavy
sies were raised and lowered on a
Iding car and cradle moved on an
lclned plane by windlass. Up and
own this narrow defile passed a mot
y procession of European traders,
americans and Indians. To the ''trois
came Father Hennepin,
Is portable chapel on his back, and
ith him that bold adventurer who
lreatened to make "the gritfon fly
bove the crows" for while there IS
Othing in these decaying river towns
recall the fact, we are actually in
be neighborhood that witnessed the
iFth Of Americas magnificent inland
The walk up the gorge is made
aser by leaving the train where the
ngine slows up this side of the noun
lin. Near by are the exposed found
ton and anchors of the old Suspen-
The remnants Of its
savy cables flap and sway across the
1fge between Lewiston and Queens
N like an empty clothes-line. Atour
1T is tunnel cut through the side of
10 rock. 1t looks like a ruined arch;
ut although the surrounding country
rich in tradition and history, the
ahks OF the Niagara are not crowned
18th castles. Some one in the party
that Mr.. Benson j. Loss
e has sketch of it in the Pictorial
'ctd Book, and it is we'll to say here
preliminary reading of this careful
storian vastly enhances the enjoy
lent of tramp through the battle
'untry of the war Of 1872.
Near the Devils Hole, where the
nlway goes into the mountain, we
ave the track and mount the ridge.
rom the top of the cliff overlooking
rs awful chasm is another sweeping
lew Of the river north and south.
eerlng down into the depths of the
any gulf, it seems almost impossible
conceive in the sylvan calm of this
eacetHl ferny solitude that it could
nee have been the scene of q murder
Us ambuscade.
Passing the squatter sovereignty a
uspension-bridge. and pausing mid
'ay on the hanging viaduct, we hav
null view of the wonderful and many
mes described Niagara Gorge. Grea
Ihlte gulls are circling over the mar
Ow rock-bound chasm, in the bed Q
,hlcs flows the emerald-green river
ne perpendicular cliffs, three hun
red feet high, through which til
lream makes its tempestuous passage
re still clad in the fading russell tint
naples and elms, among which tn
eVerc outlines of tall pines stand fort
Ike black priests, mounting the gorge
p and up in solemn file, carrying L
ack into that remote past when frs
le Jesuit fathers visited the natio
IMeh gave to the river, on either sid
l winch IFS camp fires burned, il
musical name.
Orosslng the bridge, we witness :
ns whirlpool Oh the Canada side ''th
act Of the Niagara drama
1l1lle known, and less appreciated b
ne generality of travellers, to the thinl
I Tue whirlpool is the most fascina
spot along the river. more awfl
4 e mysterious swirl of its water
1no IN the eternity Of ages its past il
golYes than the cataract itself. Con
pressed within these limits is Il
.l1Iainage Of half q continent. Two
me three sides are steep, rocky prec
Rlces Ike the rest Of the river gorg
: .ne other is sheer slope Of primev
. y at which the water rushes wit
s sne tremendous force acquired in
s"iit descent. To account for TN
hUOaeu upplir~if,- nor.,.fa, rY,n far dee